Children Of The Stars
by Mountain King
Summary: My first attempt at a "Real Family" type story. Xander's real family found him long ago. Years later they are needed to help with a new big bad, one who they have met before. Set during the Buffy season 8 comic and a crossed with Galactica 1980.
1. Intro and Teaser

Children Of The Stars  
Introduction, Disclaimer and Teaser.

Intro:-  
It's not Doctor who? Nope its not, nothing to do with it in fact, other than Buffy, I haven't used this show before. Strange given how big a fan I am of pure 1980's sci-fi CHEESE and this is so cheesy (and bad) it deserved an award.

Another slice of cheese that makes people cringe is the "real family crossover story" where all of a sudden a lead character becomes related to someone else. I've pretty much avoided that over the years writing crossovers because I think it's lazy and unless it's pulled off correctly a pile of tripe. Time to put my money where my keyboard is. Here we go, but first a bit of house keeping.

* * *

Disclaimer:-  
I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the the characters used in this story. I am keeping the crossover secret for this chapter, the full disclaimer will come at the end of the story.

* * *

Teaser:-

It was the year of Xander's infamous road trip. According to every story he told the intrepid explorer got as far as Oxnard before the bottom dropped out of his newly acquired car. Actually this is true.

He also told people he took a job at a ladies only strip club to pay for the repairs. This is also true, to a point.

Finally he told the story that one of the male dancers called in sick and he was called up to replace them. This is where the truth gets lost.

It's a well know fact that Xander was adopted, his "family" only supporting him as far as keeping a roof over his head and food. At first Jessica Harris wanted a kid but couldn't stomach the idea if nine months of pain. Anthony, her husband, hit on the idea of adoption. No hassle, no real medical bills and a nice check from the government.

At first they cared for Xander as any parent would, but over the years they grew tired of the kid they had taken care of. Eventually the only reason they didn't throw him out into the street was the nice check once a month.

So Xander found himself wanting to see more of the world. He had long given up looking for his birth parents. Willow and Jessie became his family then he met Buffy and Giles. His best bud Jessie died and Xander "got the mission".

The road trip wasn't what everyone thought. He wasn't travelling because he had nothing to do. No job or prospects. It was a factor but he had another reason. He'd saved the world but never gone much further than the bluff over looking Sunnydale. If he had saved the world he was going to get to know just what he had saved it for. Right now he was having trouble thinking up a good reason.

He had just been fired, apparently he didn't flirt enough and Joe didn't like him. Joe was the Bar manager, the fact he was having an affair with the owner made him the last person you want to cross. Apparently, Xander found out that morning, he was getting too many tips.

Tips, something like twelve bucks a night, was all he was living off. His rather lean pay check was going into motel costs and car repair. Both of which were about to come to a grinding halt. His own trip funds were all but exhausted on fuel for the car and buying the rust encrusted heap off his "Uncle".

Irritated and rather convinced his road trip was over Xander sat in a cafe with his lunch. A muffin and some coffee, just enough to brake the bank of him. He could sell the car, the garage that was repairing it said they could take it off him if they had to. He could buy a buss ticket out of what passed for civilisation and back to good old Sunny-hell. Devils fun house it was.

Be that guy at the job centre. Work some 9-5 minimum wage slaves job in the day and fight demons at night. Was that it Was that going to be the life of one Xander Harris, zeppo and loser?

Looking up from his coffee Xander saw a guy walk in. It was only just gone eleven, too early for the lunch time rush and this wasn't the sort of place that got people hanging out in.

The guy was what forty, tall with mid length back hair. Sort of like Xander's own. He wore an old black leather jacket and tan pants that looked well worn. Another guy down on his luck, did this place attract them or something? The guy looked around and caught him out of the corner of his eye.

Xander had never seen someone so shocked, he couldn't have looked more stunned when the whole vampires are real thing was dropped on his head. He couldn't have looked that bad could he?

'Hello.' the man sat down opposite, he looked nervous but trying to keep eye contact. There was something else, the set of his shoulders the look in his eye. He might have been nervous and shocked but he was in control. 'I'm Troy.'

'Hi. Xander.' he introduced himself, wondering how fast he could eat his muffin and get out of there.

'Xander?' he laughed. 'Good name.'

'So is Troy.' Xander bit back. He was a little protective of Xander. Willow knew why no one else. Not anymore.

Troy looked away, a smile breaking through the mask of shock. 'This can't be real, the chances...'

'What chances?'

Troy pulled out a wallet and opened it, inside Xander caught a glance of a couple of photos. One of this guy and a slightly older looking woman and another of two people and a kid. He didn't get a good look at either but then Troy pulled out a third.

It was him, Xander. Well almost. The nose was a little wrong and the eyes a bit to close but it couldn't be anyone else. 'Where did you... who the hell are you?'

'I told you, my name is Troy. About nineteen years ago I... My wife gave birth. An old enemy of mine took him away.'

'Nice coincidence. What, you've had private detectives looking everywhere, looking for me. You happen to walk in and all of a sudden you find him. Just who the hell are you?'

'We didn't have any detectives Xander. We... I have other resources. I used the computron scanners... I used a computer to build a picture of you. Every two years and I never stopped looking.'

Xander smirked at the man. No that wasn't right he forced it back down. 'Look, dude. If this isn't a set up I'm sorry. I don't think I'm him, if your telling the truth I'm really sorry for your loss.'

'Xander. We named you that. A new name for the first of a generation. I know, please.' Troy rolled up his sleeve, he wore some sort of massive copper and black watch with far more buttons than were needed. 'This has an analyser. I can scan your biological code with it and then I can prove what I'm saying.'

'Tell you what. If it does work I still won't believe you. If it doesn't you pay for breakfast.'

Troy grinned, almost laughing. 'It will work. If it does, promise to hear me out.'

What had he left to lose? It wasn't going to work anyway, The guy was grasping at straws. There must be a hundred kids called Xander out there. 'Shoot.' Troy pressed a few buttons and the little box bleeped.

* * *

And that was how Xander met his real Farther and later his Mother. When they told him their secret he realised just how big a world he helped save.

For five years he kept their secret, kept them secret. He protected his friends and his extended family. Even when he lost an eye Xander never wavered in his loyalty. But after those five eventful but short years something happened.

A new, or even older enemy depending on how you looked at it, reared his ancient head.

A civil war had shattered a once powerful empire.

And a Slayer had a dream...

End Teaser.

Authors note:-  
Right review please, with your guesses to what's being crossed over. If someone gets it right I'll post a new chapter ASAP.


	2. Chapter 1

Children Of The Stars  
Chapter 1

Authors note:-  
This is set, now, during the Buffy season 8 comic. I'm not a HUGE fan of the direction the comic takes Buffy and the gang but I forbear. So there are spoilers here for those of you who haven't read them yet.

To bring those of you that haven't up-to-date here's a quick summary; Buffy, Xander, Dawn and Giles now work from a castle somewhere in Scotland. They work as the head of the Slayer army scattered across the world. Buffy, now infamous in the demon underworld, has "doubles" based in Rome and elsewhere (hence the "double" in the last season of Angel). This underground army has raised alarm bells in the US military. It is feared that the Slayer army will try to take over the world in a "Girl power gone mad" kind of way.

One army general has allied himself with the Big Bad, known only as Twilight. Twilight is big, powerful and his main goal, at the moment, is to make Buffy doubt herself.

That pretty much sums up where we are. Faith is still trying to find redemption, Willow is now Super-witch and can fly amongst other tricks and Dawn has become a giantess after sleeping with someone who may or may not have been a demon. Meanwhile Xander, now a key figure in the international watchers council, still has an eye patch.

As for the crossover, It's with Battlestar Galactica 1980. Possibly the WORST incarnation of the show. If you want to know what is about I'll expand on it in story, but the premise was simple. Original Galactica turns up in Earth's orbit in the year 1980. With the Cylon fleet hot on their heels the Galactica knows Earth would be helpless. Taking drastic action they draw the Cylon's away and send warriors in secret to advance Earth technology to the point where it can defend itself.

They have been doing it for years, in secret. Unable to contact governments or people directly for fear of triggering the "Final Nuclear War"

So this is where we rejoin the adventure...

* * *

Chapter 1

It was a quiet night at slayer central. For Buffy this meant she was asleep, for anyone else this meant she was having another nightmare.

Tossing and turning in her bed Buffy was fighting Twilight. He just shrugged off blow after blow and stood there gloating. How she would never stop him and how, in the end, she would see he was right. It was the usual villain stuff and it wasn't the first time she had this nightmare. Only this time she believed he could pull it off, the had fought three times, each time she and her friends had only just gotten out with their lives. It wasn't be cause she was good enough to stop him or fast enough to get away.

He wanted it like that. He wanted her to know the only reason she was still alive was because he wanted it that way. Sitting bolt up right Buffy woke up, sweating. Trying to shrug off the nightmare she got up to get dressed and work off some energy in the gym. A sixth sense stopped her and when she heard what sounded like bells she spun.

No one. Setting her jaw Buffy marched to the window and flung open the curtains 'Dawn! If you're window peaking again so help me...' but there was no one there.

'Hello.' An English voice called out and she spun on the spot. It was a male voice and it had come from nowhere.

She knew someone was watching her and he had an English accent but she couldn't see him. 'Invisibility, great. Who's there?'

'You can call me... John.'

'Not Tom, of the peeping kind?'

'No Miss Summers and if you will allow me...' Everything changed, Buffy felt someone touch her shoulder and it felt like a static shock. Between one blink and another. she could see who was with her. A middle aged man with short blond hair, he wasn't too tall or anything that stood out. Just a normal guy, on the surface that looked like that English guy of Knightrider.

Brushing his hand away she had taken up a fighting stance before realising her hand had gone through his. 'What the hell?'

'Not precisely.' he clapped his hands together. 'I'm sorry if I can't tell you exactly who, or what I am but I can help you with a few things.'

He might not tell her but Buffy could guess, the stranger wore a white suit and jacket, really he looked like he had escaped from a film about ghosts. 'You're one of the powers aren't you?'

'No actually, we're more a parallel, or sister, organisation. The powers try to keep a balance. We deal with those that miss use their powers. I can't go into much more detail, other than to hint in the direction of one you know as Twilight.'

'Twilight's one of the powers? We are SO dead.' Buffy sat down on the side of her bed, that was pretty much the worst thing anyone could have said to her. That's when she noticed her Yummy-Sushi pyjamas had lost all their colour and were now a brilliant white. Picking at her sleeve she frowned at it.

'Ahh I never said that. It's difficult, you see my hands are tied. We can stop... Certain people, we can call them "Beings", only when they use an exceptional power or take a life. Certain beings have yet to do so.'

This brought her head up...

John finished with.. 'In a way that we can influence matters'

Buffy decided to play along. 'So if "someone" throws a lightning bolt at me. You can step in and stop them.'

'Exactly.' John grinned and then winced. 'There are a few little loopholes that these "someone's" know and exploit.'

'In other words don't expect any help. Thanks, this should make my nightmares all the more comforting.'

John looked up and to the left. Buffy followed his look but all she saw was the corner of her room. 'We could... I know we can't interfere but... Right I understand.'

Buffy winced, she could see him but obviously he was only the middle man and his bosses were keeping an eye on both of them. 'Message from on high?' she asked.

'Yes. Before I go I can help. It's our own loophole you see I can either tell you what you need to know and make you forget about it or give you a clue and let you figure it out yourself.'

'What's the point of that?'

'You will consciously forget the truth, but be much more accepting of it when you find out. You'll get hunches, flashes of insight that will help you.'

'... opposed to racking my brains for an answer to a stupid riddle I'll never understand anyway. Okay, will I still remember you?'

'Yes, but as a dream.' he nodded.

'So shoot, what is this great secret that's going to save us all?'

* * *

Doctor Zee was the sort of person who always knew what was going on. He'd been told he was a child of the stars. A foundling in deep space, picked up by the Galactica it's lived in grey corridors and ancient metal was his home. A child genius, by his tenth year he had secured a place on the ruling Council of the Twelve. As their chief scientific adviser he found many of the Council simply paying lip service to those they represented. Those that didn't were in it for their own power.

At first he was concerned that the loudest voice was that of Commander Adama. Long past the time of retirement the aged commander was approaching his two hundredth yahren and had spent many with the burden of overall command of the fleet. As they got to know each other Zee respected Adama's wisdom and experience while the commander recognised Zee was possibly the most intelligent person in the fleet.

Zee was an expert at calculating the odds. If it came to an action of blind faith, however, he was useless without his best friend and father figure. So when he found himself walking in a rocky desert landscape in the middle of one of his experiments, with no memory of how he got there, he was more than a little lost for words.

He'd grown in the twenty eight yahren since finding Earth but still wore his trademark white cape. It was still spotless, even in this rugged place. Turning around he looked back, his footprints just stared a few yards behind him. Like he had simply dropped out of thin air.

Logically his best option was to carry on in the direction he was heading. Something had wanted him here and going that way. Whatever it was had plucked him from the Galactica and dropped him here, obviously highly advanced and powerful.

Zee kept walking, heading up and over the ridge. There was something familiar about the desert but he couldn't place it. Three sun's burnt high in the sky but he was neither thirsty or tired. Coming over the ridge he saw a little valley.

Nestled in the middle lay the wrecks of two Cylon fighters and a small shelter made from the salvaged parts. He had seen this place before, years ago now and he knew what he was going to find. Even now, a grown man, Zee scrambled down the embankment and ran for the shelter. Almost tripping over his own feet the scientist pushed the crude door open and looked into the hovel. Aside for a few Cylon parts and a fire pit it was empty and had been for a long time.

'You didn't actually think I'd be in there did you?' A joking voice called Zee spun and saw his father. Starbuck, one of the best pilots in colonial history and that was before their destruction, sat on the nose of a Cylon Raider. Fumerello in hand and a bold grin on his face. His white combat uniform matching Zee's more conservative science coat. 'Well, you got your mothers brains and my looks. If you didn't spend all your time in that lab you'd be fending off women with a blaster.' he chuckled, inhaling from the fumerello .

'Are you, I mean am I...'

'Yes and yes. I called in a favour or two and here you go. You know Zee isn't the name I'd have chosen but hey it works.' The older man jumped off the fighter and smiled sadly. 'I wish I could have been there Zee. There wasn't enough fuel to go with you though. I lived out my life here.'

'And now?'

'Your Mother couldn't go with you either. Same rules that kept me here, go figure. She stayed with me for awhile before she had to leave. I'm still around though, I did what I could to keep the Cylons of your backs. A good job too, just meant I had to stay here. The others don't like it when you get involved.'

Zee could only shake his head. 'I don't understand.'

'Your not supposed to Zee. Just listen, an old enemy is playing a new game. The fate of the thirteenth colony stands in the balance. He's afraid of what will happen if the tribes of humanity ever unite, especially now that everything has changed.'

'How do you mean changed.' Zee had never asked so many questions in his life. He'd never needed to, he grasped understanding instantly but here and now he couldn't. His father wasn't making any sense to him.

Starbuck just puffed on his fumerello again. 'You'll find out. Now you've got to go. The wheels in motion and all that felgercarb. Zee, both me and your mother have been watching you. We couldn't be prouder.'

There were so many things Zee wanted to ask. So much he didn't know about himself, about these rules, about his mother...

He opened his mouth to ask and sat up back in his lab, the taste of the desert still in his mouth.

* * *

Xander threw another book to one side. Nothing, a big fat nothing. He and Giles had spent weeks searching the Watcher archives for anything on this symbol connected to Twilight but there was nothing on it. There were things like it, mostly old writing in which it meant all sorts. From deceit to salvation, Evil to hidden Light. it was even attributed to insects and the Raven of Death but all those had subtle differences.

For all they knew Dawn was right, he had just picked it out of a hat because he liked the look of it. The giantess had done some research on that and it was possible. Only the power of someone who could just pick a symbol of magic was... Well it wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. Sure they had faced the First and Glory, thing was they were limited. Glory was trapped by a human body so couldn't use her full power and the First was a sprit and needed minions to do it's work. A hell of a lot of minions but still.

Given the strength of this guy, even when Buffy used her scythe she was out matched. Magic wasn't a problem for him either. What did that leave? Drag everyone back to base and out number him?

Not while he had the US army on his side. Damn him, he really knew how to recruit minions. The grunts took orders from the General's so he just got them to do his dirty work. Slayers couldn't kill humans, rule number one. This made them almost helpless. Pulling punches against people with machine guns was a sure fire way to get yourselves killed.

They needed to find Twilight and take him out, hard and fast. To do that they needed information and all they had was this symbol. Thing was Xander felt like he recognised it from somewhere. One of the books he had read.

That's why, while most people were trying to sleep, he was hunting through book after book for it and failing. 'Okay, lets think about this. It's an old symbol that's bee diluted over the centuries. There are lots of different meanings connected but there is nothing exactly like it. That means it's pre-history. Possibly as old as the written word. It...' Something struck him.

Jumping up Xander grabbed his wardrobe and threw it open. Scattering his clothes every which way he dug down and ripped open the false bottom. Inside the little cubby hole sat a book and Xander's wrist computer. Yanking both out he slipped the device on his forearm and started flicking through his copy of the concise history of the Twelve Colonies.

* * *

Dawn had a lot of bad habits. She was honest enough with herself to admit it. Her latest in a long list, after sneaking out in the middle of the night and kleptomania, was spying through peoples windows. Then again when you were a ever growing giantess with serious commitment problems, not to mention the whole Key thing, a few bad habits were to be expected.

Some of the windows in the castle were into almost normal lives and it gave her a bitter sweet insight to what life should be like. Luckily she'd only found two that were X-rated, she might be peaking through other peoples windows but she didn't want to see THAT or the other one that had two guys in it.

Xander was the most normal of the lot. He'd been spending a lot of time awake recently and if he saw her they would have to have a "Talk" about how wrong it was. Tonight was different Xander was making a lot of noise.

'One quick look to see if he's okay.' she told herself and silently made her way to his window.

Xander came out of his wardrobe with a book. The book's corners were cut off and it looked old. It also didn't look like anything in the resource library. Dawn watched as he flicked through it.

She was shocked when he shouted 'Yes! Found you!... But what the frack are you doing in a book on Kolbol's early history?' He pointed something on his wrist at the book and then the paper and tapped some buttons on it.

A female, robotic, voice came from it. 'Symbol representative of one of the first lords of Kolbol. The fallen Lord. Mythological Prince of Darkness. Attempted to lead the first children of Kolbol into hatred and started the first wars between the thirteen tribes. Other names include:- Diaboles and Mephistopheles.

'Further note:- Subject was encountered on journey to Earth going by the name Count Iblis.'

"Oh great,' Xander slumped and then pressed some more buttons on the little box. 'Xander to Galactica. Say again, Xander to Galactica on fleet comm scrambler three.'

Dawn figured out it was a radio too just before someone answered. 'This is Galactica. Confirming on fleet comm scramble three. How are you fairing big brother?' It was a girls voice, maybe as old as Dawn.

'"Brother"?' Dawn gasped

'Anthea? They got you on the switchboard now?' Xander laughed.

'I am. What are you on a scrambled frequency for?'

'I need you to put me through to the Commander. I think we have an old friend of his down here.'

'Xavier?' the woman asked. Who ever this guy was he sounded like a piece of work.

'No, someone worse.' Xander growled. Yep a piece of work and a history, but who was he and what was Xander keeping from them?

End Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 2

Children Of The Stars  
Chapter 2

Authors note:-  
A couple of reviews I should answer both personally and for anyone wondering. The five year jump, inspired by the new galactica series, was deliberate and we will be getting a few flashbacks. The point is I couldn't just have Xander ring up the family when something bad happened. First they are not the Mafia and second it would remove all dramatic tension. Another reason is Xander's limited training as a colonial warrior would take to long to get all the way to season 8 it wouldn't be worth it. We all love a good Rocky training montage but it doesn't work so well as words opposed to images.

It's been noted that my spelling sucks, yes it does. I often write quickly and miss-type something and then skip over it when re-reading. This is simply because spelling is not THAT important to me, opposed to plot, character and narrative. If you can understand what I mean I call it a victory but I'll do what I can to fix it.

Finally, just what the heck is going on? Well opposed to the endless angst you usually get with this type of story I'm going for mystery and suspense.

* * *

Chapter 2

Troy herd his communicator bleep and looked over to Dillan. His best friend and wingman nodded and they pulled over. Slowing to a stop the two of them got off their turbines and Troy answered. 'Yes commander?'

'Captain Troy, we're sending down Warriors Zac and Athena to your mission co-ordinates. You and Dillan need to meet up with them and head over to Scotland as soon as possible.' Troy's Grandfather ordered. He didn't do that much these days, it must be important he reasoned.

'What's in Scotland?' Troy asked 'Aren't Aries and Tayjay assigned that sector?'

'They are Captain, only this mission is too important. They're being recalled to the Galactica. In fact all warriors are on battle recall save for you four. Boxey, it's Xander. He'll need your help.' That was all Troy needed to hear. Xander could take care of himself, both he and the commander knew that. If he thought he needed help he did.

Dillan was already on his turbine contacting Jamie. Troy jumped on his own and took off. Literally.

They made it to the landing zone in record time, even ahead of the shuttle carrying the twins. 'What do you think this is about?' Dillan asked

'I don't know, it might be to sensitive to broadcast or the Commander just wants us all in one place before giving us instructions.' Troy opened the turbines seat and unpacked his blaster.

Dillan followed suit, 'You think we need them?'

'When was the last time Xander asked for our help?'

'Good point.' Jamie joined them a few moments later. She stopped the car that instant before jumping out almost on Troy's toes. 'What is it about Xander? What's happened?'

'We don't know, but he wants us there to help.' Troy put both hands on his wife's shoulders. Xander was a sore subject between them, he respected their son's wish to be independent while Jamie wanted nothing more than to bring him home.

Eventually they agreed it was Xander's choice. Neither of them liked it, least of all because they had seen very little of their son, even after they had found him. 'I'm coming with you.' she said.

Troy knew that even if he strapped his wife to a seat in the Galactica's brig she'd chew through the deck plating to go with them. He wouldn't have it any other way. Kissing her forehead he grinned 'I wouldn't try to stop you.' he admitted.

When the shuttle came down Jamie got on board while Troy and Dillan got the turbines on board. Seeing three others in the hold told him a lot. Jamie was never rated for her own. Getting into the passenger compartment and finding three spare Combat-dress uniforms just confirmed it. Xander was going to be getting some gifts.

Zac hit the launch turbos and the small transport catapulted into low orbit. 'Father.' he nodded. Serious as always.

Troy's daughter was out of her seat and hugging him 'Daddy, I missed you.' she admitted. It was customary for twins to share more than just physical resemblance, unfortunately for Troy and Jamie custom didn't seem to have much effect for their descendants.

The comm panel lit up. 'This is the Galactica on fleet scramble frequency to Captain Troy. Confirm.'

'We read you Commander. All of us.'

There was a long pause. 'Troy. Do you remember the briefings we gave you on Earth's mythology.' That grabbed his attention, the early briefings were on the fictional creation of monsters. Beings that would drink mankind's blood or mutate due to the monthly lunar cycle. At first it was emphasised that they were rooted in popular fiction.

Then one day it changed. The standing order was to avoid at all costs any one demonstrating any form of mutation and report it to the Galactica. It had been rumoured that another race was attempting an attack on Earth using the fiction to infiltrate the planet. However nothing happened. Troy said as much.

'I'm afraid the truth is far more devastating. The legends are in fact true, hidden from the people of earth by the very fiction you mentioned.' Dr Zee announced.

'That's crazy! Jamie gasped.

'No Jamie its not.' Grandfather answered. 'It was your eldest son that told us of it. He provided proof to myself and Dr Zee, we've seen it for ourselves. Over the aeons they have become very adept at hiding. Mankind itself has hidden them and fought a secret war to protect the thirteenth tribe from what we believe were the original inhabitants of this world.

'Xander is part of a group of humans who fight that war. Jamie, Troy. Your son hasn't abandoned you for all this time, he's been protecting you.'

* * *

Buffy yawned and trudged down the stairs to the basement. What was now know as Dawn's room. The giantess couldn't exactly eat with them so Xander had the idea that Buffy and he would eat there.

'Good plan,' she muttered to herself. 'I just love these early morning guilt trips.' Stomping into the cavern like room she was met with a strange sight, Dawn, drinking a barrel-full of water, was trying to keep an eye on Xander without him noticing. With a head the size of a car that was like hiding a elephant by putting it in a flock of emu's. Shaking that odd image out of her head Buffy sat down. 'I'm starving.' she smiled as best she could. Might as well get it over with

Dawn's glare at Xander flicked to her for a moment. 'You're starving? Hellooo! you're tiny, I'm the one who needs to eat a truck-full of cereal a day.'

'That explains you're butt being so big.'

'Lame and old news, is that the best you've got? Dawn snarked back. 'I guess your just getting too old. Soon we're going to have to take you to the old Slayers home where you can tell all the other OLD people over there how you used...' Dawn trailed off. She was right to.

Every morning they went through this, Xander had always stepped in by now. Telling them to knock it off and grow up. Dawn would crack a joke she'd have thought up about "growing up". Buffy had one about herself that she'd worked on for all of two minuets yesterday. Xander would bury his head in his hands in mock despair and then it would all be normal family stuff.

'Is something wrong?' Buffy asked. After a moment he didn't answer. 'Xander?'

He blinked his one eye for a second. 'Oh hi Buffy, morning.'

'We already got past that. Is something wrong?'

'Have we? Sorry I was miles away. Urm we've go a problem.'

Buffy groaned. 'Oh god, what now?'

'Where to start, I've got a few contacts Giles doesn't and doesn't know about. I tapped them on the whole Twilight thing.' He had her complete attention. 'He's not a new player, just going by a new name. I got the message last night, from my contacts. He's called Diaboles. At least in some places, he's got a lot of names and none of them are "fluffy-kins".'

'Alright that doesn't sound good.' Buffy winced at his bad joke. Then, just for a second, she thought she heard something. Like someone was playing with a tinny set of bells. It sounded almost familiar...

Xander was wincing like he had just been eating raw lemons 'We're a long way from "good" here. His title is supposed to be "The Fallen Lord, the Prince of Darkness".'

'And how do your friends know all this?' Dawn prodded. Buffy completely missed the scalding tone in her sisters voice, she was too busy listening for those bells. Where the hell had she heard them before?

'I never said they were friends. I told you guys I was adopted, right.'

That caught Buffy's attention, where did that come from, 'Sure. Didn't you tell me you'd found your real parents one time?' When did he tell her that though.Xander frowned at her. 'Did I? Well then you know why I don't really talk about them and they're not around.'

'You never told me anything!' Dawn huffed

'No it was before, he just told... You just told me and Willow, right?' The moment he mentioned he was adopted Buffy knew. Just not when he told her, that was what was throwing her. 'Yeah, you didn't want them involved in demon hunting and given that's your life, mostly, you kept them at arm's length. Right?'

'That's right. I just don't remember telling you that's all, I must have been REALLY drunk or something.'

'Why didn't you tell me?' Dawn almost screamed at him, two great tears building in her eyes.

Xander turned on her. 'I don't like thinking about it. Okay Dawnie? I didn't even know I'd told Buffy. Anya didn't know, okay! There are secrets I've got to keep. You know that as well, if not better than me.' He hung his head. 'I'm sorry Dawn. I couldn't tell you. Buffy, do you know why?' He looked to her almost scared of her answer.

'No.' she answered honestly. 'I don't. What do you mean you have secrets to keep? Keep from who?' She didn't like the sound of secrets.

'Your secrets from Dawn and her's from you. Will's got a few secrets from both of you she swore me never to tell, back when I was four. We all have them, why can't I. If it could possibly hurt you I'd tell you but simply it was nothing to do with us.

'Now it is.' Xander nodded. 'My family was the contacts I was talking about. They've been fighting to stop Twilight for years, among other things and they are coming here. Today.' There was a long silence and Xander looked both Buffy and Dawn in the eye. His terrible eye patch reminding them exactly how much he'd sacrificed. 'I can't tell you anymore. I wish I could but you'd never believe me.'

'Chill Xand.' Buffy smiled, 'After all we've seen and done I'm ready to believe anything. It's not like you're from the Planet Mongo and are really the descendant of that Ming guy.'

'True, and I really shouldn't have forced you to watch that film.'

Dawn giggled 'Awe, but it was so funny! 'GORDON'S ALIVE!" ' She shouted in a fairly good impression before collapsing in laughter. Buffy couldn't help laughing with her and soon all three of them were chuckling.

* * *

Xander felt the unfamiliar weight of his wrist strap on his arm. He'd been tempted to wear his single Warrior-Cadet star but he still hadn't really earned it. Troy was coming and things were going to get interesting.

Of course Adama would send him. It hadn't taken Xander long to realise just how important family was to the old man. The whole fleet out there, stretched between the stars, were a family of sorts to him.

He winced, Xander didn't like to think about the people out there. How many were there? Two hundred or more ships packed to the rafters with universally hungry, cramped, people looking at Earth as a salvation. One day. A day Xander never thought would come.

'Hey, Mr Xander' Renee called over the radio. She was on one of the parapets watching over the road, with him as "Base commander" he had the ear peace and responsibility 'We've got company, five people on bikes. They look kinda funky, holy... they're fast!'

It sounded like them, but five? 'White bikes with gold trim?'

'That's them boss. Four of them are in the same stuff. Dark brown bomber jacket's and... Boss they've got guns!'

'That's okay Renee, they're friends. That means they are on our side, so don't try and shoot a arrow at them.' Five? One of them an odd one out? No, they wouldn't. What would Jamie be doing with them?

His musings were cut short when they pulled through the gatehouse into the courtyard. It was his whole biological family, and Dillan along for the ride! All but Jamie in full battle dress with blasters strapped to their thighs. Wincing Xander caught the look Buffy gave him.

She could tell they were military, well armed and bad news to anyone in their way. He shrugged and the two of them went down to meet the family. 'Hi guys,' he shouted just in timed to be mobbed by Athena and Jamie. His mother, even if he still couldn't call her that was older. Not "old" older but she looked just the wrong side of forty, the fact she was still a news anchor back in the states was proof how good a reporter she was.

People said his younger sister looked like him. At least Troy had when Xander first asked him to describe her. Personally he couldn't see it. Athena was pretty, that was the first reason, the other was she refused to have her hair cut. A long mane of midnight black hair was pulled into a pony tail, there was enough of it to put every Slayer in the castle to shame. 'Xander! you've grown! she laughed, still hugging him.

It was sort of embarrassing, they had only met, face to face, twice. He'd talked to her a bit more, usually on his birthday or her's but they were practically strangers. 'That's what old people do Ath, we can't all focus on growing our hair like you.'

His sister laughed and hugged tighter. If it wasn't for all his training with the Slayers her Galactican strength would have crushed him. If he'd been raised on the Galactica he might have been as strong. That could have been helpful over the years.

Jamie hadn't tried to embarrass him and after her quick hug she stood back. 'She's right Xander, you have grown, but not too much.' she cast a glance at Buffy before asking, 'What's with the eye-patch?'

He'd dreaded this. 'Nothing you know, just like the look. Going for a Colonel Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. feel.'

It wasn't any use, like all mothers since the dawn of time Jamie knew when he was lying. 'Well it looks silly. I might not be much of a mother but...' in the blink of an eye Athena had pulled it off.

The look on their faces hurt almost as much as the thumb did all those months ago. Athena and Jamie took a step back. Xander turned away and covered the side of his face.

'Jamie.' It was Troy. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at Xander. He looked up and at his father. 'Xander, you should have told us.'

Falling back on the age old defence of sarcasm Xander faced them, but kept his hand in place. 'Oh I know! "Hey there, urm just to let you know I've had my eye gouged out by a psychotic preacher but don't worry it only hurt like hell for like three days! I'm fine now, depth perception is a little tricky but what can you do about it. Talk to you soon." You'd have been there for me. It was too dangerous Troy and I know you, you'd have come with every warrior you could spare. Armed to the teeth for something you weren't ready for. Instead of helping you'd have been killed.' Zac took the eye-patch from Athena's shocked grip and gave him it back.

'You did the right thing Xander, but you still should have told us.' Troy replied unhappily.

* * *

Buffy felt her stomach crawling. It always did talking, or even thinking about Xander's eye. She felt for it, there was nothing she could have done at the time and beating herself up about it got nowhere. It was Xander himself who told her that.

Over the years he'd been her rock. He'd been Willow's rock and Dawn's. Without pause or compliant he'd held the so called scooby gang together. Only now Buffy knew the cost.

The woman Xander called Jamie reached out for his scar before catching herself. It didn't take a Giles like brain to see she was his mother, or recognise his brother and sister. The one thing Buffy wanted to do for Xander was help him with the train wreck that was his family. Now she had found out just what he had given up. She felt more than a little bad about it, the death glare Jamie was giving her didn't help in the slightest.

'Are you supposed to be his friend.' the woman asked with a cold voice. Oh yes she was a mother alright.

'I'm not supposed to be, I am.' Buffy forced herself to look her in the eyes. 'Xander sacrificed his eye for me and my friends. There isn't a day I don't thank him for it.'

Eye patch back on Xander stood between the two of them. 'Okay time for some introductions guys. Buffy this is Troy and Jamie, my biological Father and Mother. These two are Zac and Athena, they're twins but think you can tell them apart and that's Troy's best friend Dillan at the back there. Guys, this is Buffy Summers, my best friend and that's her sister Dawn.

'Hi.' the giant sister waved down at the five of them. For a giant she was still light on her feet and had sneaked up perfectly. They all jumped back in shock and Buffy almost smiled if it wasn't for one thing

Troy, Dillan and Zac moved almost too fast, drawing their giant pistols from their thighs with almost slayer speed. They were well trained and didn't fire but that didn't matter. They were dangerous and she caught Xander's glance.

He was nervous about something. It was something he hadn't told them and it was big.

End chapter 2


	4. Chapter 3

Children Of The Stars  
Chapter 3

Authors note  
Sorry this has taken so long a combination of writers block and three reviews basically just killed this story I can take your simple average flame with a pinch of salt but this was a single, calm, collected reviewer. They not only went through my work with a fine tooth comb but was then kind enough to slate my whole ability as a storyteller and writer. As you can guess this didn't help much with the writers block.

* * *

Chapter 3

Buffy sat down in the opulent chair, just outside the window Dawn did the same thing, only without the chair. The other difference was that Buffy didn't shake half the reception room when she did it. 'Wow, Xander's mom can really do the guilt trip.' her younger sister said. 'I mean even I feel a little guilty.'

'It's something you pick up when your right.' Buffy slumped. 'It's my fault Dawnie. I got Xander involved in the first place, I led us to that psycho preacher...'

'You weren't fast enough. You didn't know what you were getting yourself into. It was a trap. Yeah it was.'

'Not helping.' Dawn poked her through the window 'hey!' Buffy cried back indigently

'I'm not trying to help you dodo, I'm trying to tell you something. We make mistakes. I think I've made a few.' Buffy ducked the huge, waving, hand. 'Mom always said learn from them and move on.'

'Mom never had to fight demons. MOM never had the lives of her friends on the line and most of all I don't think Mom would have boned a thricewise.' Buffy snarked back

Dawn pulled her arm back out. 'No, but she would have made mistakes. Remember that time you could read minds? What you found out about her and Giles?'

'EWW, I didn't get a visual but come on. Why did you have to bring that up?' Buffy never wanted to think about that. worst of all it put Giles in a position he never should be in. A father. With all the problems they'd been having recently she just couldn't think of him like that anymore.

'I sort of helps me, same with the whole you and Parker thing.'

'Okay! Okay! I get the point.' Then Buffy realised something 'So this is my fault too?'

'No...'

Buffy began pacing the room. 'Oh great, everything's my fault now. Bad choices and a terrible role model. What next, what happened to L.A?'

Dawn just reached in again and slapped Buffy hard across the face. 'You're still not listening. You learned from your mistake with Parker, I just made a bigger one.' There was a pause when she realised what she had said and started giggling.

Buffy quickly followed 'A... A "bigger" one?' she got out between fits of giggles. 'You did that on purpose.'

Dawn desperately shook her head. 'No... it was a big mistake though.' she sniffed and wiped her nose and then her eyes. It took Buffy a moment to figure out she had been crying at the same time. 'Seriously though it was. I would have made it anyway though because I didn't know any better. I've learnt now.'

'And I know not to go charging into the bad guys base without at least knowing what's in there. Dawnie, I'm...' Buffy was proud of her sister. She really was becoming an adult, a lot more of one than Buffy was at that age. She couldn't say it though, something inside her wasn't ready to say it. If she did she became the mother, a thing she could never be, her own mother was still a large part of her own life. Even in death. 'I'm glad to hear that 'cause if I see you and another giant making the beast with two backs...'

'Buffy! Have you seen a giant's teeth? They're worse than the British? I know it's not exactly easy to brush but come on!' They laughed again for a moment before looking at each other soberly. 'Buffy, I know I'm not supposed to but.' She left it hanging.

'But you want to spy on Xander and his family. See what's happening. So do I.'

'I could give you a lift?' She offered with a wince

Buffy placed both hands on her hips and stared Dawn down. 'Dawn Summers . I've told you before that spying though peoples windows is an invasion of privacy and should never be done.' She let a smile break through and hopped through the window. 'So just this once it's a case of do what I say not what I do. Come on.'

The two summers girls sneaked out of the front courtyard and around the back to where Xander's rooms were. Well they weren't really all Xander's rooms, the whole wing was supposed to be for boys and the Watchers when they came round. Only problem was most of the Watchers were based in Bath and nearby Westbury with Giles. Xander was the only Watcher in the whole Slayer Castle and that gave him the whole wing. Even so he spent most of his time in the upper rooms and the only way anyone could reach them was to climb the roof or if they happened to stand on the shoulders of a nearby giant.

'Budge over, I can't see.' Dawn whispered urgently.

'I can't, where are your shoulders? You're thinner that a twig.'

'At least, I've kept in shape.' she sniped back. 'Your ass is what's taking up all the room.'

'Oh now come on and be quiet.' Buffy pointed at the window and the five strangers walked in the room. The boy that looked amazingly like Xander stood to attention at the door while the girl started looking around the room.

Dawn ducked quickly before any of them had a chance to look out he window. 'Practice much?' Buffy couldn't help but ask.

'Shhh.'

'Nice place Xander has here.' The blond guy said. As far as Buffy could tell he was a very good friend of the family.

'Yes very spacious.' Troy replied

'Nice view's and I bet. I'm not just talking about he countryside.'

'Uncle Dillan.' Xander's sister said jokingly. 'I'd rather not know.'

'It's a shame, the tall one's very attractive.' Buffy and Dawn looked at each other in mock horror. 'The blonde too.'

Tory sighed. 'Dillan. Please.'

Then a door opened. 'Dillan word of warning, Buffy could almost brake you in half and she's very protective of her sister. More importantly so am I.' It was Xander. 'I wouldn't be thinking that if I was you.'

'It is alright Xander.' Troy said seriously 'Dillan's always like that. He wouldn't do anything untoward.'

Then Athena spoke up again 'Xander, you do suit that you know.'

'Colonial battle dress? I don't know it feels kind of seventies.' Xander said with mock distaste. Buffy guessed that he was talking about the brown bomber jacket suit the others wore.

'The battle dress has been our uniform for well over two thousand yarns, Xander. It is not a statement on current colonial fashions.' The brother spoke. Buffy thought he was even more laconic than Oz.

'As the thirteenth tribe would say, "loosen up" Zac.' The girl joked

After along moment the boy answered 'No.'

* * *

Xander caught a glimpse of a shadow outside his window, you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out who it was. 'Alright, Dawn come on out where I can see you.'

Guiltily Dawn looked in, Buffy perched on her shoulder like a parrot. 'Urm... sorry.' Dawn waved.

Buffy had a completely different reaction. Jumping through the window she stormed right up to Xander. 'Alright I trust you know what your doing. God knows why but I don't and I want to know everything. Starting with where these guys came from and what they know about Twilight.'

'That's a long story...' Xander started only to be interrupted by Troy.

'And until the commander grants you clearance we can't tell you. All that we can say is that... "Twilight" is known to us. We have met before and we know what we are confronted by.'

'That's nice and all but Xander was about to tell me.' Buffy smiled sweetly before turning a death glare on him.

Actually, no I wasn't.' Xander admitted but knew they ware going to have to tell her sooner or later. 'Right, I'll get in touch with the commander to get the permission to tell you and everyone else. I mean everyone at the same time. I don't want to go over it it again.'

Buffy nodded. 'Right, the whole castle. Fine'

'No the whole gang. I'm going to have the witches portal Andrew and his group. Willow, Kennedy and the whole lot. Even Giles, Robin and Faith.'

'No, not those three.' Buffy said before following with; 'We need someone as back up.' A little too fast.

Xander sighed. 'This is big Buffy. Bigger than your issues with Giles and Faith.'

'You...'

'No.' Xander interrupted. This was it, he couldn't back down now. He only hoped by the end of this the bruises faded and he hadn't lost too many teeth. 'I've had enough. You're still bitter about what happened in Sunnydale that night, get over it. We're not going to apologise for any of it. Giles did what he thought was right, we all did. Not to sound all judgmental here but you weren't really doing the best job in the world.'

'That's not fair.' She shook her head. 'You knew what we were up against.'

Xander just looked at her, 'No we didn't. It's not the same here. With the First there was no research, with this guy there is research.'

'And your not telling us any Xander.' Dawn pointed out from the window.

'No, we're just not telling you about us.' Athena corrected Dawn. 'Ibis is extremely powerful, almost limitlessly so. There is one good thing, the Seraphs can step in and stop him if he harms an innocent or one who's life isn't given to him freely.'

'Right, that makes sense. Or not, Who the hell are the Seraphs?' Buffy asked

'Friends of humanity. They are perhaps even more powerful but only use their abilities on those that brake their rules. As for Iblis that is what he desired last time I encountered him.' Troy said, his face set like granite. 'My father was able to fight him and trick Iblis in to exposing himself for who and what he was. Physically we are not capable of stopping him...'

'But mystically he's been stopped before.' Xander added a plan forming. 'And we just happen to have one of the largest international groups of witches and warlocks at our disposal.'

'So that's why he want's to end magic.' Buffy said. 'He want's to stop the one thing that can stop him. He'd be invincible.'

'Hang on... Idea.' Dawn was practically hopping from foot to foot outside the window. 'It's not just that. Xander, your Father said Twilight, Iblis whoever, wanted people to worship him. Magic needs belief to work, he's trying to steal the faith people put in magic.'

'I though Earth's people didn't put faith in superstition anymore.' Zac supplied.

'Earth's people?' Buffy and Dawn said at the same time looking at Xander.

'Real subtle Bro.' Xander muttered as Athena slapped Zac in the arm.

Xander knew he would have to explain very fast and lose. 'A very long story that brings us back to the point. Get the group together and I'll explain.'

'Not before the cliff notes.' Buffy insisted but she looked uncertain. Xander just shook his head with a wry smile.

'When I do tell you Buffy, you'll find out exactly what we are saving the world for.'

* * *

Faith did not feel so good. It wasn't from the whole portal-ing over here with Giles, it was from being back in the Castle. In all honesty she should have known the truce between her and B wasn't going to last much past the First's attack. Still she did hope that with more than one other Slayer in the world and all that they'd been though the two of them might have at least been friends again.

No such luck

It wasn't much after the blonde had moved in that the friction between them kicked off. Faith soon decided it would be best to get out of there before Buffy kicked her out on her ass.

After bit of drifting Giles approached her with a sort of job. She was the one best qualified for it so Faith though why not. She was something like a Slayer's councillor, any time one of them started going the way she did. Giles called her in to give "A Talk". If the girl listened the first time things were fine and Faith kept an eye on them for a bit, but if they didn't listen. Well, then Faith's own brand of counselling was used.

It worked out pretty well and it kept her out of trouble. Also kept her out of boyfriends, well more accurately boyfriends out of her. But these days that whole thing was getting dull. After Robin, that ended badly, there was something missing.

'Faith, are you alright?' Giles tapped her on the shoulder, snapping her out of the revere.

'Just trying not to face that hurricane Buffy that's just coming around the corner.' The eldest Slayer did just that and tensed quickly

'Giles, Faith. What took you so long?' The tiny woman gave them both a flat look

'Believe it or not B the world don't revolve around you. There other things going on out there.' Faith smiled sweetly inwardly cringing at how easily that had come out. They were so used to tearing chunks out of each other it was automatic now.

'Actually, there isn't.' Xander came from another direction. He was dressed in some sort of tan uniform, a big black pistol strapped to a thigh holster. In one hand he had old style brown bomber jacket.

'Nice outfit Xander. Though you were going for the all black look this season?'

'And is that gold?' Giles pointed to a chain and a star like thing on Xander's collar.

'Don't worry about it. It's a good thing you took you time. The Commander's on his way down and he's almost here. Come on.'

'What Commander?' Giles asked Xander just grinned in response and headed off.

'What's going on B?'

'Xander said he'll tell all of us when this "Commander" said he could. And before you ask I have no idea what Commander or why he suddenly stared wearing that uniform.' She followed him. 'He's been acting weird since his family turned up.'

'His family? I thought they died during the last year in Sunnydale.' Giles mentioned.

'He never did talk much about them. Come to think of it neither did Red.' Faith supplied.

'They were his adoptive family, I don't know how it worked out but they weren't the best.' Buffy explained. 'These guys are his natural family.' She finished as they entered the massive main hall.

It was filled with Slayers of all ages. Faith recognised a few of the Watchers, from the looks of things just about everyone was there. Then she saw Xander at the far end. There was a raised little stage which fitted the idea that this room was used for telling everyone what was happening.

Up there Xander was recognisable by the eye patch but not much more. Four others were dressed in the same tan suit he was, bomber jackets and all. One of them was an odd one out with mid length sandy blond hair. The other three Had to be his family. The tall one with faintly greying hair had to be the dad. Then there was what looked to be a little sister and a younger brother, about the same age as each other. All but the girl had the same length hair, just above the shoulder. Her's was pitch black and long enough to sit on.

'All right everyone listen up.' Xander stepped forward. 'Hey everyone.' Faith could hear him but most people were too busy talking amongst themselves. Xander just rolled his eyes and brought what looked like a huge watch up to his mouth. It acted like a megaphone. 'HELLO!'

That got everyone's attention, Faith gloated at the look from most people. 'Thank you,' Xander continued, lowering his watch. 'Now we've got a long story to get through and I'm not going to be the one doing it. The man you're about to meet is called Commander Adama. He's older than he looks and used to people listening to him. Also, he's my great-grandfather so I hope you have a little respect for him.' The look Xander gave the hall with his one eye told every he meant it. 'Good, thank you. Commander your up.'

Xander stepped to one side and then something impossible happened. At first Faith thought her ears were playing tricks on her. It was like someone was playing a low note on a high pitched instrument. She only heard it faintly, but it was there. Then she saw it. It looked like a cheesy and cheap transporter effect but instead of happening on TV it was right there. This man just appeared.

Faith had been around invisibility before, the odd spell here and there. They Usually came with a flash or some sort of sparkly thing, nothing like that happened though. This impressive looking man just was was there between one moment and the next. That's when she blinked, instead of seeing what had happened she saw the man standing there. He was tall and a bit on the heavy side but that wasn't what was shocking.

The man wore a blue suit like the others up there but with silver threading. A long cape down his back and a large jewel in the hollow of his neck. His longish white hair looked very much like the solid beard he wore.

In all the man looked very much like the images of God you saw. He smiled warmly, completing the image of a friendly grandfather and the holiest of holy at the same time 'Greetings my brothers and sisters of the thirteenth tribe. All though this is only a very small number I speak to today it is a start. The start of the very last stage in our journey to unite mankind. I am Commander Adama and this is the most historic meeting in this worlds history.

'This is the last bastion of mankind in the heavens, you are it's protectors and guardians. Now you learn that you have not just been saving Earth but every planet where mankind exists.'

End Chapter 3


	5. Chapter 4

Children Of The Stars  
Chapter 4

Dawn was slumped dejectedly against the outside wall of the castle. Xander had arrange the gathering in the biggest room of the whole place, problem was there was no door big enough for her big fat butt. 'Stupid giant-ism.' She grumbled and punched at the ground. Hurting her hand in the process. 'Oww... oww oww! Silly disproportionate strength to size thing.' Dawn cried out, clutching her hand and then shaking some feeling back into it.

'It is your own fault you know, should have know better.' A voice said pleasantly. Dawn looked up and saw who was speaking to her. A man with sandy blond hair and a large cigar was sat in between the battlements of the wall, just above Dawn's head. 'Hello,' he said with a smile. Dawn noticed he was wearing the same uniform as Xander's family. Only this was completely white.

'Who are you.' Dawn got to her feet and looked him in the eye. 'If you don't tell me I'll squash you.'

'Old friend of the family. Well Xander's family so I guess that includes you and your sister. So no squashing, deal?' He laughed lightly and chomped down on his cigar.

'You here to tell me what's happening inside?' Dawn then wrinkled her nose as he blew a could of smoke out. 'Those things will kill you you know.'

'A couple of yahren's late for that I think. No, I'm sorry but I'm sure someone will fill you in and your clever enough to figure most of it out. At least in theory.'

'Just what is that supposed to mean.' She huffed at him.

He just smiled back. 'Well your current situation doesn't exactly show intelligence now does it?' He held a hand out to stop her. 'Not that I'm trying to insult you and get squashed or anything but...' he trailed off and shrugged.

Dawn looked at him, darkly. 'Who are you?'

He just smiled back ruefully. 'You'd think it's silly.'

'With a sister called Buffy and a friend called Xander?'

He shook his head and tapped his chest with the same hand he had the cigar in 'Starbuck.'

'The coffee...?'

'I prefer ambrosia.' He interrupted absently. This earned a quick laugh from Dawn

'Been waiting to use that one?' she asked

It was his turn to laugh. 'See, you are a clever girl, why don't you use it more often?'

'Yeah right, clever.' Dawn shook her head and looked at her hand. 'Big ugly me's clever. I don't think so.'

He didn't say anything and she looked at the strange man. He was looking back at her intently. 'Dawn, you are intelligent and far from ugly.' he said eventually.

'Thanks, I bet you can be quite the stud if you tried.'

'If you were older I would have taken that as a challenge.' he winked. It was the sort of wink you had to laugh at and he knew it.

.'I wouldn't have been that much of a challenge. I'm a cheap date after all, three drinks and I was out of it.' Absently she wondered just why she was admitting this to a complete stranger

'Actually that second one was the one that did it. You've not that much experience in being drunk have you?'

'Well it wasn't my first time but...' she blinked, what was so important about the second drink and how did he know about it? She decided to ask the latter first. 'How you know that?'

He just smiled and she blinked again. A couple of things fitted together including the white get up. 'You're not...'

Starbuck smiled back. 'Well, sort of. Just not in the way you'd think.'

Dawn frowned in thought. 'Say I believe you. I thought you guys were big with whole Star Trek prime directive thing.'

'The what?'

Oh, pop culture right... I thought you guys,' Dawn pointed at the sky before saying, with air quotes; 'You know; "senior management" was in to the whole non interference stuff.'

Starbuck threw back his head and laughed. 'Senior Management! I like that! Well we are, we only step in personally when there's no one else that can and there's a big pot at stake.'

'So why are you telling me all this? Surely I'm not important enough to get a visit.'

'Ahh you'd be surprised at just how important what's going on around here truly is. But as for me, this is sort of a personal thing.' He chomped down again on his cigar for a moment. 'I don't like what happened to you so I've taken action.'

'Really, what?' Dawn couldn't help but look down at herself, hoping to see her body shrinking down to normal.

'Non interference remember. I can't even answer a question, well my name but that's it. Face it, you might as well be talking to a wall.'

That was a disappointment but Dawn did her best to hide it. 'So what? I'm talking to a wall.'

'Sometimes you need to go over things aloud. See how it sounds, even if it's just to yourself. You weren't talking to your friends and the wall wasn't going to strike up a conversation.'

'So you did and I've got to figure this all out myself.'

'No.' he shook his head. 'You can still turn to Xander, your sister, or the others. They might see something you missed.'

'Then I'll be known as "Three-drinks-slut Dawn. Hell I didn't even finish the last one.' She stopped again and ran it through her head, times like this Dawn wondered if the whole giant thing wasn't making her brain so big it took forever for an idea to flitter across it. Stupid brain. Then it came to her. 'The second drink...'

'Here it comes.' Starbuck noted absently.

'...That BASTARD!' Dawn shouted reeling back a fist, ready to take a chunk out of the battlements

'Ah, ah, ah. You don't want to hurt your fist again. Well if you do let me get off.' Dawn wasn't really listening, but lowered her arm.

'I can't believe he did that to me. I can't believe I didn't notice.' She spun around and slid down the wall, dejected.

'You didn't know. You didn't think he'd do that. Hey you were drugged. Pick one of those you can feel a fool. All of them and well what are you going to do?'

'Kill him?' she asked hopefully over her shoulder.

'Ahhh. Yes you could do that, but it might be a bad idea. You can't exactly sneak back there.'

Dawn grumbled and then muttered 'Good point. I thought you couldn't answer questions.'

'It wasn't a question and you would have figured it out. So I can tell you that much.'

'So I've got to decide what to do on my own.' Dawn realised disappointingly

Starbuck puffed on his cigar stub, finishing it off 'In his defence you were the one who asked him if he wanted a drink.'

Dawn looked up, 'As a friend.' she replied defensively.

'I'd think about that one.' Starbuck said and tapped her on the shoulder. 'You could always ask the wall. Here, have a fumerello, think you need this more than me.'

Dawn took the fresh cigar he'd tapped her with. 'Thanks but...' she stopped mid sentence, it was the right size for her. Looking around she found herself alone.

* * *

Xander looked out over the crowd of Slayers, Watchers and Witches. They all looked back, not to him but to the Commander in open mouthed shock as the old man told the story.

'Ten thousand yahrens ago the human race lived on a world very much like this one. The planet Kolbol. It stood alone in a giant cloud of dust orbiting a bright star.

'For three millennia humanity grew on that world and developed. We explored space and travelled to other galaxies, but a price. Our relentless pursuit of technology devastated Kolbol as slowly it became a vast desert where no life could exist. The twelve tribes of man, led by the Lords of Kolbol, left for a binary system with worlds enough to support our diverse cultures. While we could not recover Kolbol we could, and did, covert the worlds we found to support our form of life. The thirteenth tribe, made from members of all twelve, left for the one other planet known to support life as we know it. That world is Earth, your people are descended from those brave colonists almost seven thousand yahrens ago.'

Xander had heard it before. Something he noticed now was that the Commander had a catch hovering behind his voice. He couldn't blame him, he knew the real punch was still to come. Then he saw a hand waving, it was Faith. 'Yes young lady?' Adama acknowledged her.

'Sorry I gotta cry bullshit here. What do you guys really want?'

'Bullshit?' Adama asked and Xander winced.

'Feldercarb' the one eyed carpenter explained.

'Ahh. I see.' Adama said disappointedly.

'Yeah, whatever that is. You're spinning us a load of it, ten thousand years ago, aliens from another galaxy. What I really want to know is how you got Xander to buy into all this.'

'A round trip to the fleet Faith.' Xander explained, felling the weight of his Colonial jacket. 'I've seen it with my own eyes, when I had them. It's the truth, this is what we've, well at least what I've, been fighting to save the world for.'

'Invasion by an alien race? Still don't buy it.' She had pushed her way to the front of the crowd by now. 'If they really are like that why don't they come down here and blow us all up?'

'You weren't listening were you? They're on our side, or we're on theirs. We are all humans here. Their just not from around here' Xander turned his attention to the audience. 'There's no invasion or anything, It's a refugee fleet up there. Men, women and children packed together like sardines on ships barely able to fly. They're looking for help and Earth can't provide it right now.'

Faith was on the stage now. 'Xander it's all bullshit. There's no fleet, just these whack jobs with a bit of magic. What is your game huh.' She turned on the Commander again.

'You are a very cynical young girl. It is good you doubt my words however you have my oath as a colonial warrior that all I tell you here is the truth.'

'That's not worth anything to me.'

'Faith.' Xander said quickly. 'Back down, alright. Honour is a big thing to these people. The oath the Commander just gave means a lot.'

'Okay, prove it.' she challenged them.

'Well if the Commander appearing out of thin air didn't convince you I don't know what will.'

'Perhaps I do.' The Commander stroked his beard. 'I arrived here in a Viper. My pilot is still with it, just outside your castle walls.'

* * *

Buffy followed the group out of the castle, there was nothing there. Something Faith was quick to point out:-

'So let me guess, it's invisible? Or only your alien eyes can see this fantastic spaceship.'

'It's a mark two Viper, and yes it is camouflaged.' Troy said. Both he and Dillan were giving Faith black looks.

Then the ship appeared, Viper was a good name for it. A long nose stretched out in front of three rockets. A little fin, like a sharks, on the top and two short wings at an angle. Buffy was no expert in space ships but it looked like it could work. 'Care to take a ride Faith, if it's alright with the Commander?' Xander suggested.

'I'll take her.' Troy offered. 'Unless she is afraid.'

That wasn't the sort of challenge Faith could turn down, 'You're on Alien-boy.' she strode to the deadly looking fighter. Another Colonial, this one ark skinned and in the same sort of blue uniform as Adama got out and took off his helmet.

Troy nodded at the older looking man, 'Colonel Boomer.'

'Captain Troy, good luck.' He handed him the helmet.

Buffy sparred a glance over her shoulder, Dawn should be on the other side of the castle. Still it wasn't like her not to stick her big nose in. As soon as Faith got her little demonstration Buffy would have to talk with her anyway.

It was that or have Xander gripe at her about it.

'Alright, these look space-y' Faith said and pulled Buffy's attention back. She settled into the back seat of the fighter.

'Please don't touch the controls, at least not until we're in open space and we won't crash into anything.' Xander's father instructed her and pressed something. The glass top closed around them.

Buffy couldn't hear what they were saying, even with slayer hearing, but Faith's smirk wavered a little bit as she realised she was sitting in what was very possibly a spaceship.

'I suggest we all step back' Adama said. Every one but Andrew did, Xander corrected that by grabbing the Uber-Geek by the collar and dragging him away. Andrew said something about an X-wing and Buffy could see some similarity.

It was then the ship took off.

It's one thing to see a space shuttle take off on T.V. you hear about this roar they are supposed to make and you watch them fly strait up on a column of smoke and fire. Its quite another to watch something about the size of a car go from standing still to half a mile away in about a second.

As Xander let out a whoop Buffy wondered if she had ever felt this shocked before. As the Viper pulled up it kicked out a white hot flame and spun, Shattering the sound barrier along the way. By the time the sonic-boom hit the gathered slayers it was already a dot in space, indistinguishable from the stars themselves.

'Any more proof?' Xander's mother asked as Dawn came around the castle, eyes glued to the sky. Buffy looked around.

Andrew had fainted dead way, Xander was grinning. Half the slayers were blank faced with shock and the other half were looking at the Colonials.

'What the hell was that?' Dawn asked in shock

It was Giles that answered her 'That was a space ship taking off for orbit.' He took of his glasses and looked up and up 'You appear to have grown Dawn, you wouldn't happen to have upset your Thricewise boyfriend recently would you.'

Dawn spluttered indignantly 'bu... mhh... tuh... Spaceship far more important than my personal life Giles.'

'Hey Dawn-patrol, what's with that.' Xander had noticed something and pointed at her hand

It looked like a log of wood but it wasn't. 'Nice cigar Dawnie, so taken up smoking now.'

'No a friend, well sort of, gave it to me. Just because he did I don't have to...' Dawn trailed off before turning to the sky and shouting 'Oh nice metaphor. Great joke ha-de ha ha. I see that Starbuck again I really am squashing him, talking to the wall my ass.' She waved a fist in the air.

'What's coffee go to do with anything?' One of the Slayers asked but it was the reaction that name got Xander's family that shocked Buffy.

Adama stepped up, 'Starbuck, he's still alive after all this time? And on Earth?'

'Urm.. I don't know about that. Sir.' Dawn was kind of taken aback from seeing the Moses like Commander. 'He looked sort of like an angel, you know a real one. In white and all that. That doesn't sound as weird as I first thought it would.'

'Coming from a thirty metra tall young woman, weird an interesting concept.' Adama smiled

End Chapter 4


	6. Chapter 5

Children of the Stars  
Chapter 5

Authors note:  
Its exposition time for the Rag Tag Fleet, given just how confusing and round about the history of BSG is I'm sticking to the known facts. Some, like the size and speed of a classic Battlestar, have always been more than a bit fuzzy. Even basic facts are hotly disputed, so for the sake off this story I'm using a combination of; best guess, some nudging here and there, and the battlestarwiki.

* * *

Faith didn't regret much in her life, actually it was all just a matter of scale. When you make the sort of mistakes she had over the years it sort of skews your perspective. When you compare murdering someone on the orders of a whack-job town Mayor who wanted to become a giant demon just to avoid dying to a bad one night stand, the one night stand looses its sting. So to speak.

Now shouting down the old guy wasn't up there with knifing poor Lester but still it was a mistake. But if wasn't for the fact she was still screaming it could have been cool. 'You can stop now.' The graying pilot helpfully suggested when she stopped for breath.

'Where are we?' She croaked out.

'Haven't you looked out the window?'

'No, but that's because my eyes are still closed.' Faith admitted.

Xander's dad laughed lightly. 'Well I believe your people call it Tranquility Basin.'

'Who would call it that...' something in the back of her mind connected the reference. 'That's where the moon landing happened!' She gasped and opened her eyes. It was. Sitting outside her side window, hanging in the night sky was a blue disk. covered in slowly moving patches of blue, green and white. The Earth, pristine and the most fantastic thing she had ever seen. 'Wow...'

'It's a beautiful world. But every yahren I doubt even more that my people will ever set foot on it freely.' Troy said with a catch in his voice.

'What... You don't know if you'll be excepted.' Faith said in a rare moment of insight. 'Too many people like me out there.'

'No, we can prove we're telling the truth. The problem is too many people are afraid of us. What we can do.'

'How you going to prove it, take everyone up one one of these things?' She looked around the cockpit. That would just about do it.

'We do have... other ships. I'll show you one if you like.' This time Faith had her eyes open so she watched as the space fighter began moving again, without the massive take off throwing her back like a good kick to the gut this time. Pulling up and away from the Moon they headed off into space.

Faith watched in awe as the universe moved around them, the Earth and Moon becoming specs of light in the distance behind them. 'So why haven't you told everyone?' she asked

'We arrived in the year 1980. Your world had been on the brink of nuclear war for decades. When we monitored your transmissions and learned this we became afraid of what our presence would do. Worse still our enemies, the Cylon Alliance, had hunted us across space. We had lead humanities greatest foes to the doorstep of our last outpost...'

'Wait hang on, you guys got your butts kicked by these Cyclops guys and then lead left a trail of bread-crumbs for them to find us. Thanks.'

'We thought we had lost them, but we didn't.'

* * *

'So these guys followed you. Why? We're no threat to them and your people weren't in any shape to fight back.' Buffy asked. Her, Giles, Willow and Kennedy sat at one end of the table facing Xander, Dillan, Jamie, the new dark skinned guy Boomer and Commander Adama. Dawn, of course, was watching through the window. The rest of the Slayers were scattered around the castle somewhere.

'Our very existence, our peoples very way of life is a threat to the Cylon Alliance. Their mechanical minds are ruled by order and structure. Freedom, our own individuality, is a source of chaos to them.

'You see more than a thousand yahren ago the original Cylon people were a noble race of lizard like creatures. Our allies had contact with them and we through them. Then one day they disappeared. The next anyone heard of them the were the Cylon Alliance, robots and machines the original race had built to serve them.' Commander Adama explained. 'The Cylons spread across space like a wildfire. Most races had achieved peace with themselves and others early in their expansion into space. They were no match for the militaristic Alliance.'

The old man swallowed. 'Our own past was not so sanguine. After the first exodus from Kolbol our twelve colonies were intense rivals. Without a central government there ware no laws or treaties in those early yahrens. Piratical infighting and raiding parties were common until we formed the first Quorum of Twelve. After that the Colonial Military was formed to put an end to the pirates and the splinter colonies they formed. Putting us in the perfect position to fight back.'

Giles interrupted. 'I'm sorry it was what, six or seven thousand years that this happened?'

'More like five.' Dillan answered

'And you still had a functioning military after all that time? It took that long to deal with these pirates?' Giles finished. It was a good question.

'No, but we never truly destroyed the pirate actions. The military helped to unify our people and eventually it became more a form of what you would call a civil service. Colonial Warriors were trained in advanced sciences, from hyper-physics to cellular biology. After the thousand yahren war started more combat orientated training was included.'

'A form of, I don't know, renaissance warrior. An interesting idea, would they just be pilots or general infantry.

Commander Adama smiled ruefully. 'They are both.'

Buffy thought that one out. As she did Giles took off his glasses and polished them. 'Then their nearest analogy would be commandos or even the SAS. Impressive.'

'What now?' Willow asked confused

Giles explained; 'The SAS, British special forces. It stands for Special Air Service, mostly used behind enemy lines in small teams. Skirmishers, only not as, well, black as your American Black Ops team.'

'That sounds about right.' Adama agreed.

* * *

Faith looked out over the pilots shoulder again. There were a little cluster of stars they were heading towards. 'So how this war get started in the first place? I mean if they kicked your butts that's not the sort of fight you want to pick.'

'A thousand yahren ago...'

Faith rolled her eyes. 'Didn't anything happen last week for you guys. And would it kill you to call it years.'

'... Our friends and neighbours, a race called the Hasari, were attacked by the Cylons. They almost totally destroyed the Hasari civilisation, scattering the survivors across space. The Colonies intervened, hoping a show of strength would, if nothing else, halt the Cylon advance.'

'Instead they just kept coming.' Faith supplied, joining the dots. 'And a thousand years later they beat you. Good job.' The stars in front of them were getting bigger, a lot bigger and quickly. Especially the one in the front. Faith looked again, they weren't stars. They were spaceships, great huge spaceships heading right for them. 'What is...' her voice died in the back of her mouth.

'That, young lady, is the Battlestar Galactica.'

* * *

'So you guys lost. I hope you gave them one hell of a fight.' Buffy said before asking. 'So how did you lose anyway if you lasted a thousand years.'

'We were betrayed, by a member of the Quorum of Twelve. A man by the name of Baltar who sought power at any cost. He entered an agreement with the Cylon's Imperious Leader. With words of peace and armistice the President of the Colonies went to meet with the Cylon leader.'

'Let me guess, big trap?'

'For all of us Miss Summers. In a single sweeping attack our fleet was caught unaware and decimated by wave after wave of Cylon fighters. My Battlestar alone survived when we realised what was happening to our homeworlds.'

The old man closed his eyes and there was a catch in his voice when he opened them. 'With our forces out of position and under attack Cylon command ships moved into orbit above our major cities. Raining mega pulsar blasts down upon our civilian populations and launching even more Raiders to strafe anything and anyone they saw. In a single night billions of people were slaughtered, the Galactica arrived too late to save them.'

'So these guys pull the wool over your eyes and enjoy massacre fun time. I take it you did the smart thing and ran.' Buffy pushed. Not a good idea but that side of her mind was busy wincing at billions being killed.

'If you mean did we run from battle, no. We did what we could but one Battlestar is no match for a dozen Baseships with fighter support. We believe the Cylons must have used all their resources in their attack and despite the massive losses of our own fleet a number of our fighters survived while theirs were defeated.

'Also not all of our people were killed in the attack. Broken and battered the survivors boarded two hundred and twenty ships and set out across the heavens, that is how we lost the war and began our quest to find Earth.

* * *

Faith's eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. The big old space ship was bigger. A lot bigger. Troy flew the fighter in between great pylons that held these big pod things on either side.

They flew past the ship slowly then spun in space. 'We better land and refuel.' The pilot said and they flew slowly towards one of the pods. It was a great big landing strip.

'What is this thing.'

'The last Battlestar, Galactica. It's guided and protected the fleet for more than forty yahren.'

Faith watched as the landing hanger swallowed the little fighter she was sitting in. 'You had a fleet of these things and got hammered. Your not about to tell me that these are all show and no pants.'

'Sorry?' he asked as the fighter slowed down and stopped.

Faith just rolled her eyes. 'Are these Viper things the only fight this oversized toy has?' The canopy opened and some guy in an orange jump suit pushed a step ladder on little wheels up to them

'Hardly.' Troy said, taking off his big gold helmet and putting it in front of him. Big was a word Faith felt she was going to use far too often in this place. 'A Battlestar is a carrier battleship. As well as the usual four squadrons of Vipers a Battlestar has sixteen weapons emplacements, consisting of a paired Turbo Laser and an Anti-Fighter turret each.' Math was never Faith's strong point but that sounded like a lot. 'We've also got a couple of Mega-Laser cannons for capital ships.'

Faith got out after him and climbed down the ladder. 'I have no idea what that means, between one to ten on the kick ass scale where's this bad boy come.'

'Between one and ten?'

'Yeah. One's like... A Tie Fighter and tens the Death Star.' Faith grabbed at the first thing she thought of. Star Wars. 'You tell anyone I've seen that flick and I'll kill you.'

'I've seen it too. My wife insisted we did. I liked it.' Troy thought for a moment. 'I'd say eight.'

Faith let out a long whistle

* * *

'And you guys fell for it?' Buffy asked. 'Haven't you people ever heard of the fall of Troy. The Trojan horse.'

'You were paying attention in history that day?' Willow asked her blinking, Giles had the same expression but mixed with pride.

Xander waved a hand. 'No, she just saw an episode of Red Dwarf on T.V. with me a few nights ago.'

'That and the movie had Brad Pitt in it.' she admitted

The Commander hung his head. 'Our history is full of such tricks used in our own ancient past. Even if the fall of the city was in this worlds history you are not the first to draw a similarity. You must understand the war had been in a stalemate for much of the last five hundred yahren, since the development of the Battlestar and the Cylon Basestar, our forces were too even. Still, eventually, their ability to rebuild and shear numbers would have turned the tide. While the chance our experience and advancing technology could have turned the war in our own favour our losses were immense.

'Quite simply a great number of our people were tired of war and afraid that our only hope was peace. The Cylons timed their overture perfectly.' The commander explained.

'I bet a traitor in your command didn't help very much.' Giles guessed.

'Whoa I thought my life was bad.' Dawn said in the following silence.

* * *

Faith watched as the fighter was towed into place. 'So that old man I kind of insulted. He was the captain of this ship?' The Viper

'The commander is president of the Quorum of Twelve and leader of the fleet. He has been for more than fifty yahren, since he lead lead us from the destruction of the Colonies.'

'Crap, fifty years? I owe the old guy an apology. Just how old his he anyway?' She said suddenly.

'Over two hundred yahren and for your information a yahren is around fourteen of your months, slightly longer than a year because of Kolbol's size and distance from it's local star.'

Faith just blinked at that. 'Oh, that's... that's... He's no spring chicken then.' Two hundred years old, no even more. A hell of a lot more. That was old.

'He his not. They should have refueled the Viper by now and it's time we got you back to Earth.' Troy said

Faith was about to climb in when one of the people in orange jump-suits handed her a golden helmet. 'Urm.. thanks.' she said as she turned it over in her hands it was a little smaller than Troy's and a bit more elegant but still had the lights where glass should be and the big gold bird thing mounted on the forehead. 'So what have you guys been doing all this time? I mean twenty odd years out here getting dizzy going around Earth must take up a lot of time.

'We have done several things. Set up colonies on Earth, they set up farms to feed our people and places that accept us.'

Faith sat down. 'So your like on Earth, now but in secret. Isn't that kinda like spying on us?'

'A friend of ours said the same thing, no we are not spying on you or Earth. Instead we are here to help. Over the last twenty years we have introduced technology and science it would have taken you twice as long to understand. We hope to bring Earth close to our own level of technological and social development before making official contact.'

* * *

'So where does Xander fit in to all this.' Willow asked and Buffy cast a side long glance at her friend. He looked uncomfortable, probably guilty he never told them. She wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault. That she never would have believed him without proof, thing was she did.

Before the spaceship and the whole appearing commander thing, in fact the moment his bother let it slip Buffy knew it was true. She got that odd feeling again someone had played her but she couldn't say who, what or when.

It was Jamie, Xander's mom that answered. 'Not all Galacticans agree with Commander Adama and Doctor Zee's plan to develop Earth today. One of these, a former ship captain and council member, Xavier, has a different plan. He want's to go back in time and change Earth's past. Give them technology far in advance of today, then.'

'Sounds like a plan, might actually work too.' Giles admired. 'if, of course, he has access to time travel

'The Galacticans do, They call it time warping.' Jamie. ' The thing is he doesn't care who he gives the technology to as long as they get it. One time he was involved in the V2 rocket program.'

'Ahh.' Giles took off his glasses and polished them. 'I take it you interfered?' the woman nodded. 'Good job.' He was probably wigged by the time travel thing, Buffy was too.

'What's a Vee-two?' Buffy asked, Giles just hung his head

'Ballistic missile, Nazi Germany developed them during the second world war. Sort of like a cruise missile nowadays only they weren't that accurate' Dawn answered and got a strange look from her sister. The Giantess made a sort of arc motion with a finger. 'Sort of like France to England. Boom. Wasn't very good though, planes cost less and did more. With better aim.' Buffy didn't stop looking at her. 'What? I used to pay attention in class.'

Jamie laughed. 'So did I. That's why I went along, to help stop him. Wasn't the only time either. If he'd succeeded Germany would have won the second world war.'

'Okay, even I know that's not good.' Buffy winced

'Nope, it's not. It wasn't the only thing he tried but we stopped him each time. He... he...'

Xander picked up the story. 'He decided to take it out on Jamie, Troy and the Commander. When he found out I was born he had a plan. So late one night he came along and kidnapped me.'

'As both my great grandson and the first child born of both our fleet and Earth Xander is an important symbol to our people.' Commander Adama added. 'A symbol of hope and the future of humanity.'

'So no pressure.' Xander joked

'But with all of Earths history to hide him Xavier could have left Xander anywhere and anywhen.'

* * *

'So we going to move or what?' Faith asked.

Troy looked over his shoulder. 'We've refueled and ready. Do you want to launch?'

'Urm wow. Sure, why not.'

'Good, now to your left there are three switches marked turbo. They prime the boosters for launch. Press them in sequence.'

'What about this one on the joystick?'

'Leave that one for the time being.' Faith pressed the big buttons, each one lighting up. With the last one the fighter dropped a inch. 'Whoa.'

'It's fine. This is Viper Recon One, ready to launch.' Faith wondered who he was talking to with that last bit.

'Launch granted One' a flight controller's voice came over the radio.

Troy turned back to Faith. 'Now on the control stick there's a pressure switch on your finger. That's your throttle, squeeze it all the way back.' She would have called it a trigger but it was there. When you've done that press the thumb switch marked Turbo to launch and hold the controls dead strait. You don't want to go spinning out of control out of the tube.'

'What about the floor pedals?' Faith tapped the two of them.

'Leave them, they're for pitch and roll controls.'

'Well here goes nothing' She pulled the trigger and then pressed the switch.

It was one thing to launch from a planet, quite another to be catapulted out of a lunch tube. Even slayer strength can be taken by surprise and going from dead stop to hypersonic in less that three seconds was more than enough to do that. Faith was thrown into the back of the chair as it felt like the three thrusters were trying to push themselves through the back of her skull. Like a bullet from a gun the fighter was lunched into space straight and true.

'Release the turbo now.' Troy said calmly, this was something he did everyday. He did that everyday. Finally she did as she was told. 'You did well.'

'That was awesome.'

Troy laughed lightly. 'No this is awesome.' He then put the Viper through its paces and Faith knew what he meant. When your a kid you dream of flying, then when you do get on a plane you sit down. Get a packet of peanuts, a tray-table and have to sit next to some fat guy that takes up half your seat and another dream dies. This was what flying was supposed to be. Dancing in the air like the Viper was. Spinning, ducking and diving for the simple joy of it. It was fantastic.

Faith had to thank the old guy, and apologise of course.

End chapter 5


	7. Chapter 6

Children of the Stars  
Chapter 6

Buffy closed the door behind her. 'That went well.' Xander said as he pulled out a chair

As well as the Slayer, Himself, Willow, Giles, Kennedy and Andrew, for some reason, were in one of the top rooms in the tower. Dawn, arms folded on the windowsill, looked inside. Poking her nose inside, literally this time. Scooby meetings usually took place in here, well the two others they'd had in the last couple of years had anyway

'Yes, not for them apparently.' Giles lent against the mantle piece.

Andrew was literally bouncing from foot to foot. 'Are they really aliens.'

Xander shook his head. 'Sort of. They don't come from Earth but they are still human.'

Kennedy looked at him. 'Don't you mean "we" Xander. You are one of them right?'

'No. My father and his side of the family is. Does that matter? I'm still the same old Xander.'

'Wearing that uniform?' Giles asked and Xander felt like he was being interrogated. 'How can we be sure?'

It was Buffy who came to his defence. 'Come on guys! What was he going to do; "Oh by the way I've found my real family. Don't worry they're just from another galaxy?" I'd have been the first to call him nuts.'

'Then why are you defending him Buffy?' the Englishman pressed. 'He's lied to all of us. You should be the first to realise that. He's put you, all of us, in danger.'

'How?' Xander asked. 'The Cylons haven't come anywhere near Earth as long as I've been alive. Even if they did it's not like they'd come after just me.'

'But who knows what their true motives are. You're one of them, we can't trust your word. Sorry Xander but you shouldn't even be here right now.'

Kennedy looked at him, 'Yep man. Going to have to say earthlings only.'

Xander almost couldn't believe what he was hearing, all he'd done and now when he asked for help... 'Buff, Wills. You don't believe this do you? All the Commander wants is help. I called him down here to help us fight Twilight and we're arguing about if we can trust me?'

Will shook her head 'Giles's right Xander, If you had told us earlier...'

'Like Hell.' Buffy cursed, interrupting her. 'No I'm not having this. Xander couldn't tell us without making us think he'd gone mad and he's right. After all he's done for us, for me, we owe him this.'

'We all owe him thanks Buffy but this is bigger.' Giles effectively cut Xander off from the others. With a half shock Xander noticed that the whole room was turned against him. 'We are talking about re-writing the history of life on this planet and we don't know what they truly want.'

'And I don't care what he's done.' Kennedy said, glaring at him. 'Sure Xander's your friend and I feel bad about him losing his eye and everything but that's what happens when you take this job on.'

'Kennedy, if you don't shut up I'm reaching in there and playing with you like a rag doll.' Dawn growled, genuinely scary. Xander could see the divisions, Buffy was on his side and so was Dawn. Andrew was still being a super-geek about the whole thing. It was Giles, Kennedy and Willow of all people who were suspicious. Though he could see Will was more angry at him than anything else.

'This is getting us nowhere.' Xander said standing up. 'All you're doing is arguing about me. That's not important here. What is important is you need to figure out what we're going to do next. If I'm not wanted fine, I've got other things to do, like billet the Slayers you brought and the Colonials.' He went for the door but stopped next to Buffy. 'Buff, please. Don't let them throw this away. They've spent more than twenty years out there waiting for Earth to be ready. It's not yet but we are and we need them. The Commander knows who Twilight is, he's stopped him before and we can do it again.' With that Xander left, leaving the door wide open.

'We won't.' Dawn called after him as he rolled his sleeve up and pressed three buttons on the wrist computer. No way he was going tot miss this.

* * *

Buffy turned a death glare on Kennedy. 'If you ever talk to Xander like that again you'll wish Dawn got a hold of you. Got that.'

'New boyfriend?' she asked barely hiding a sneer.

A year ago Buffy wouldn't have said anything. Thing was it was Xander who had held her family together, her pointless arguments with Dawn, all the little things that she couldn't do or do alone he'd been there. Shouldering all the burdens she hadn't been able to. There were so many things that he thought she didn't know about, arguments between the Slayers, bills even helping Dawn with her giant size while all she could do was snap at her sister like a four year old. 'You know, I wish you were worth it Ken, but I can't be bothered wasting my time.'

Buffy sighed; 'Giles, I can usually rely on you to say something intelligent. Don't let me down.'

He old watcher took of his glasses and polished them. 'Right, ignoring if we believe them or not there are still several facts that we must agree upon. The first we have to acknowledge is Xander's true heritage. Show of hands; who thinks that they are Xander's family.'

Four hands went up, one extra came in through the window.

'Yes well I didn't think that one out. Dawn if you would please just raise a finger. Kennedy, is there a reason you didn't raise your hand?'

'They're not from Earth, how can they be his mom and dad if their not even human.'

'They are human, just not from Earth Dumbo.' Dawn said from outside.

'Enough, that's the second fact I wanted to address.' Giles mediated. 'Kennedy makes a valid point, but I am afraid we need an answer that we can all agree on.'

'Well it's not that hard,' Willow spoke up. 'I sort of checked up when I saw Xander in that uniform thing. They are related.'

'Thank you Willow, I was going to suggest that you mystically investigated that. Anything else you can tell us that will be of help?'

'Not much Giles, their all human I can tell you that much and Adama's older than he looks. Way older and powerful.'

'Magically powerful?' Buffy asked almost before thinking.

Will shrugged. 'I don't know, he's not a warlock or something like that but more... more Slayer like I guess. A strength of spirit and personality you know.'

'That would make sense if he's the leader of these people.' Giles nodded. 'So we move on to the second fact in question. Are they from space? Hands or fingers up please.'

Two hands went up. Andrew's and Buffy's.

'Buffy, they're human. Willows confirmed that much. How can they be human and alien at the same time?' Kennedy asked, she must have changed her mind.

'I don't know, maybe the story they told us.' Buffy snarked. Really she had no idea, she just trusted Xander was telling the truth and she just knew it was the truth.

'That story was full of holes. Even you should be able to see that.' Giles said.

'Who cares, its a great story.' Andrew practically squealed. 'Travelling for years to find a home where they would be welcome. Refugees from a war they lost. Struggling to survive against the odds...'

'And they find us. Paranoid, augmentative kids about to blow ourselves up with nukes. Sounds like fun.' Dawn finished. 'They must have heard about that Orson Wells thing. You know War Of The Worlds.'

'What?' Buffy asked

Dawn sighed. 'Have you ever read a book? This guy Orson Wells made a radio show, you know radio? The show caused this great big panic about an alien invasion from Venus. People even died.'

Giles put his glasses back on; 'It was Mars, not Venus. I've always preferred the musical version but she's right. People would panic if they knew an alien fleet was up there, but that is not the question. They are technologically advanced but that doesn't mean alien.'

'No, the huge ship they've got up there does though.' Came another voice. Buffy turned to see Faith stroll in through the open door. 'What's up guys?'

'So they do have a ship? That's awesome.' Andrew squealed.

'You could say that. I'd say they've got a great big metal city up there with enough firepower to give Darth Vader nightmares. The thing is massive.'

'How many of those fighter things.' Kennedy asked.

Faith shrugged 'Something like four squadrons. Whatever that means, but I'll tell you this; they'll only need a couple to out do anything I've seen on TV.'

'That's so cool.'

'Perhaps Andrew but this raises two problems. The first is invasion the other is that there is the possibility that these Cylons are still around.' Giles pointed out needlessly.

Buffy disagreed. 'I don't think invasion. I mean they've been here for as long as any of us have been alive. Well not you Giles.' Buffy paused for a moment and winced at what she had just said.

'Yes well thank you Buffy for pointing out I'm old enough to be everyone here's father, but your point is well made. With this sort of technology at their disposal an... I can't believe I'm about to say this... an invasion from space is unlikely.'

A quiet descended between them as for the first time Buffy really thought about what this all meant. Aliens, space fleets and the whole thing. Then she remembered what the Commander had said. About how they had to flee when twelve worlds were blown away. Billions of people. No that didn't fit.

Sunnydale gone. She'd had enough time to accept that. These people had their Sunnydale's destroyed. That she could except, forget worlds and numbers that didn't have much meaning. Everyone of these people had lost their home, family and most of their friends.

'You know my problem with this...' Kennedy said at last

'We're about to.' Dawn interrupted and rolled her eyes

'Would Xander have told us if it wasn't life or death. I mean how much longer would he keep us in the dark about all this?'

Giles paced the room. 'I know this is not something you or Dawn want to face Buffy but it is a good point. Xander would never have told any of us unless it was important. That he has in such a way tells us that whatever he has learnt about Twilight is far bigger than we first thought. We have to ask what other secrets he is keeping from us.'

'No we don't, because this isn't about him. It's about them.' Buffy pointed out. 'Xander left less than five minuets ago to keep us on track. I'm not going to say anything behind his back.'

Dawn agreed. 'She's right. So we need to talk about what next and we can't do that without Xander or the others here.'

'Actually we can. We can list what we need now and arrange how we are going to go about getting it.'

'I'm getting a Viper.' Faith said out of nowhere.

'Oh oh! Me too.' Andrew almost hopped from foot to foot.

'Dream on geek-boy. There's no way you could handle it, it's got enough power to put that Clarkson guy on cloud nine.'

'You watch Top Gear?' Dawn asked

'Doesn't everyone?'

Buffy looked between them. 'What?'

'Forget books. Just watch something other than Soap Operas.' Dawn sighed.

* * *

Faith hid a grin, the brat was constantly one upping Buffy. The older Slayer just ignored her. It had been a long time since she'd seen the two of them act like a family, not snapping at each other. Faith had never been much for families. No dad, at least a dozen step dads and a mom that couldn't say no to drink. Still, as if that was a reason to do what she had done. 'So where's Xander?' she asked.

Dawn turned her massive eyes on Giles. 'Some people say we can't trust him, cause he's related to them.'

'Can't think who.' Buffy matched her sisters glare on the Watcher.

Faith got the general idea 'Giles? Come on, X might not be the sharpest carpenter on the block but I can't think of anyone I'd want at my back more. It doesn't matter if he's from Mars or something. He's a good guy, not some bug-eyed alien monster from outer space wanting to eat us.'

Giles looked at her, he wasn't comfortable. 'I wish I could agree, Xander's been a good friend to most of us and done more than anyone asked of him. I said before you came in Faith we need to carefully analyse everything they told us.'

'Hang on, instead of standing around tearing each other down, we should be doing something.' Buffy took charge. 'We don't know enough, We can take them on their word or we can be all suspicious. Faith had the right idea going out there and seeing it with her own eyes. Giles, you find and talk to the old guy. Rewrite those history books.

'Kennedy, Faith.' Buffy turned to them. 'You're with me, lets see what other cool toys they've got.'

'Oh, me too.' Andrew hopped from foot to foot.

'You too then, you and Will are the closest thing to experts. God help us.'

Faith laughed; 'Taking the super-geek's word on it?'

'Yep, because Will's going to be busy mending bridges.'

'What?' The red head asked.

'You and Xander, I want you two talking without the long accusing looks. Dawn's going to keep an eye on the two of you.'

The giantess coughed. 'Sorry, there's something else I've got to do.'

'What?' Buffy snapped. 'What could possibly be more important than this.'

Dawn's black look was worthy of her older sister. 'This is something I have to do. It's important, okay?'

'Ahh, Kenny.' Buffy said, if anything Dawn's look went darker and Faith could guess this Kenny was a sore point. Ex-boyfriends were like that, the good ones were at least. 'What good will it do Dawn? Really?'

'It's not what good it will do. It's that it's the right thing.'

Faith nodded. 'She's got you there B. Take it from me, dragging around a load of issues. You make mistakes.' The room turned on her. 'What? I just call it like I see it.'

'I'm going. That's all there is to it.' Dawn insisted.

Kennedy sighed. 'Then go, honestly all you're going to do is get in the way. All because you couldn't keep your pants on around some boy.'

Faith held back a whistle as no one said anything. The brat somehow kept her cool and without a word turned from the window and left.

Faith was the first to talk; 'You know Red, it's cool and all but your girlfriend can be a right pain.'

Said girlfriend jumped up and was almost standing on Faiths toes when she asked; 'What's that mean?'

'It means you've got a problem. I don't know what it is but you need to lay off the kid and X, before you say something you'll regret.'

'You want to know what my problem is?' Kennedy asked. 'I'm a Slayer right, Willow's a witch and Giles is like big with the mystics but what are they? Huh? A little girl with troubles and one eyed ex-carpenter that's almost as bad as Andrew here.'

Faith blinked a glance over at B. The oldest Slayer was ready to brain the girl. 'You know that thing I said you were close to saying? That was it. X has been through the sort of crap that you have nightmares about. I'm not talking about his eye here, B and the old gang might have some stories. I've heard most of them and I've seen what X does behind all their backs.' Faith had, when she was working for the Mayor, she'd kept an eye on her old boy-toy. Sure he hadn't been a closet superhero putting on a mask and fighting crime but long after Buffy had called it a night Xander was out there with an ear to the ground.

More than that, like B said, the guy was the glue holding them all together. Kept them grounded. When she had gone over to the Dark Side he'd found her, tried to talk her around. She wasn't ready and threw him out. Then later she'd just wrote him off like Kennedy was doing now.

'Yeah, I've heard all the stories, but sooner or later somethings going to comedown and they'll get in the way.' Kennedy pointed out.

'Kennedy, I've though that too.' B admitted. 'I've tried everything to get him and Dawn to stop. I even sent them away when we were going after The First. Even if it was the hardest thing he had to do he did it.'

'Then he came back, he was there remember.'

'Only because Dawn knocked him out and drove them both back. Look, Kennedy, arguing about this is pointless and you're just going to get on everyone's nerves. So lets just get on with it. I can kick that attitude out of you later.'

* * *

Xander sneaked out of the room about the same time Dawn left. Deactivating his cloaking field he was glad Buffy made the right choice, although why she was so willing to forgive him about hiding his past he had no idea.

Still that wasn't important. He trusted Dawn but the girl had a habit of getting in trouble. Last time she'd gone out on her own she'd came back a giantess. God only knows what could happen next. Tapping the communication function 'Ath, I need a bit of help.'

End Chapter 6


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